A week after the controversial presidential election in Belarus, the Opposition has made it the largest ever protest rally against the head of state Aliaksandr Lukashenka on the legs. Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched on Sunday in a “freedom March” through the streets of Minsk and demanded Lukashenka’s resignation. The President attempted a counter-demonstration to mobilize his followers. Prior to that, he had asked Moscow for support.
In their March on independence Boulevard, the opposition supporters wore as a sign of their peaceful intentions, the white clothes, flowers and balloons. With “Go!”-Call requested Lukaschenkas finish.
The protesters carried a 100-Meter-long red and white Banner through the city. The Lukashenka abolished the flag of the post-reunification era and is regarded as a Symbol of the Opposition in the Eastern European country. Among the supporters of the March also well-known journalists of the state television, researchers, business people and former Minister of culture Pavel Latuschko. An AFP Reporter estimated the number of participants at up to 100,000.
The people followed a call to Lithuania who fled to opposition candidate Svetlana Tichanowskaja, which had called for the weekend to large country-wide protests. They announced the establishment of a Committee to prepare a change of government in Belarus.
On the independence square gathered since 1994 with a heavy Hand ruling Lukashenka, meanwhile, thousands of people for a counter-demonstration. Lukashenka had won the presidential election last Sunday, according to official results with 80 per cent of the votes. The Opposition accuses him of electoral fraud.
“The elections were valid,” he said on Sunday. “More than 80 percent of the vote can’t be faked.” He is not going to hand over the Land of the Opposition””.
took part In the talk, his 15-year-old son and designated successor, Nikolai, part, he warned against the claims of neighboring Nato countries, and the Opposition to give in. “We have no friends. You all want us to go to the knee,“ he said to the cheers of his followers, which waved the red-green, from the Soviet era official flag. And: “I will not allow it, that our country will be abandoned, even if I’m dead,” he said.
The security authorities were taken in the last few days of brutally against the Opposition. Thousands were arrested, two protesters were killed. After their release, many Detainees from ill-treatment and torture reported in the prison.
